Citizens appeal to PMC to immerse idols respectfully

Citizens appeal to PMC to immerse idols respectfully

Pune: Citizens have appealed to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) that Ganesh idols’ immersion should be done without hurting devotees’ emotions. The civic administration has issued instructions to employees to respect sentiments of devotees during handling of Ganesh idols in ponds. 

Sandeep Khardekar, former corporator and city-based non-government organisation named Creative Foundation, has written a letter to the civic administration and Mayor Mukta Tilak about keeping religious sentiments and follow religious procedures at the time of immersion of idols. 

He said, “Civic employees are not immersing Ganesh idols in quarries after taking  idols from immersion ponds at different areas of ghats. Civic employees dump idols in quarries and they float on surface which is a very bad sight. Hence, the PMC should have to follow a scientific procedure by discussing with technical experts.” 
Dnyaneshwar Molak, Joint Municipal Commissioner of solid waste management, said, “We send idols to a Wagholi-based quarry for immersion. We take care of idols while immersing them.”

Distribution of ammonium bicarbonate  
The civic body has distributed 101 tonnes of ammonium bicarbonate to dissolve idols made from Plaster of Paris (PoP). 
The PMC purchased the chemical from Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilisers (RCF). 
Molak said, “We gave bicarbonate to each ‘kothi’ to distribute it to citizens. We have made 2 kg packets of bicarbonate so that people can dissolve Ganesh idols at their homes.”
Last year, the civic body had distributed 85 tonnes of bicarbonate. It claimed that around 25,000 idols immersed in water were dissolved using ammonium 
bicarbonate.

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